Board of Directors

Dr. Marilyn Robitaille, Chair

Dr. Marilyn Robitaille is a professor in the Department of English and Director of International Programs, Center for Global and Multicultural Initiatives at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. She works with Tarleton students and faculty to facilitate study abroad program planning, orientation, curriculum internationalization, funding and scholarship issues, and risk management. On behalf of the Tarleton faculty and administration, she initiates agreements with foreign universities and international exchanges. She administers all phases of programs associated with Tarleton’s international student population, including recruitment, immigration and visa services, and cultural and academic programming. She earned her M.A. from the Bread Loaf School of English, Middlebury College and her Ph.D. from Texas Woman’s University. She serves as an ex-officio member of the Tarleton’s International Programs Advisory Council and as co-editor of Tarleton’s literary journal Langdon Review of the Arts in Texas.

Marie Warden, Treasurer

Marie Warden is the Sr. Program Coordinator for UT - IC² Institute’s Global Commercialization Group. Mrs. Warden, a native Austinite, holds a bachelor’s degree from Southwest Texas State University. Prior to rejoining IC², Marie was operations manager for Triton Ventures, LLC an Austin, Texas-based venture capital fund specializing in high technology spin-off companies and other promising startups. Previous to Triton, Marie was the first Director of Marketing for IC² Institute at The University of Texas at Austin; Mrs. Warden was associated with IC² Institute for over nine years. She directed the marketing activities of all the programs that IC² sponsors

Pieter Vermeulen, Secretary

Pieter Vermeulen is currently directing international recruitment at the University of North Texas (UNT). He has pursued a 20 year career in Higher Education, at leading graduate schools in Europe and the US, directing MBA and executive development programs, consulting to multinational corporations, coaching business professionals, and recruiting students globally. Pieter has gained a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, a Master’s degree in Political Science, a post-graduate certificate in Diplomacy, an MBA in International Management, and is completing his Ph.D. in Management at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Pieter grew up in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Bermuda, Belgium and The Netherlands. He has traveled extensively on business throughout Europe, Latin-America, Asia and South Africa. His research and publications focus on leadership assessment & development. Pieter is married, and lives in Denton, Texas, USA. He can be contacted at: Pieter.Vermeulen@unt.edu

Anis Qourzal, Chair-Elect

Anis is Baylor University’s first International Recruitment Coordinator and has been with Baylor since 2008. Anis grew up in Southern Spain and came to Baylor for his university experience, where he graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in 2007. Anis is responsible for international student recruitment for the undergraduate class and is also the Admissions Counselor serving incoming international students.

Amb. Tibor P. Nagy, Jr., Past Chair

Ambassador Nagy has been Vice Provost for International Affairs at Texas Tech University since 2003. Previously he was “Diplomat in Residence” at the University of Oklahoma, after postings as US Ambassador to Ethiopia and Guinea. He also served as Deputy Ambassador in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Togo after assignments in Zambia, Seychelles, and Washington DC. Ambassador Nagy arrived in the US as a political refugee from Hungary, and received his B.A. from Texas Tech and M.S.A. from George Washington. His US State Department awards include commendations for helping prevent famine in Ethiopia; supporting the evacuation of Americans from Sierra Leone during combat; helping end the Ethio-Eritrean War, and managing the US Embassy in Lagos Nigeria under extraordinarily difficult conditions. He was selected as the runner-up for “Deputy Chief of Mission of the Year” in 1995, and knighted by the President of Guinea in 1999.

Heather Catton, At-Large Member

Heather Catton is currently serving as Interim Director for the Office of International Programs at Stephen F. Austin State University. She has been at SFA for 10 years and with the Office of International Programs for three years. Prior to her work at SFA, Ms. Catton served as a program manager in Washington, DC for a global non-profit organization specializing in public health education and social marketing in developing countries. Ms. Catton has MA degrees in French Language and Literature and International Studies (Southeast Asia). She taught Elementary French at Ohio University and English conversation at Feng Chia University in Taichung, Taiwan. She has spent time learning several languages including Arabic, Chinese, German, Indonesian, and Spanish. Ms. Catton has also had the opportunity to live, study, and work overseas, including Tunisia, France, Indonesia, China, and Southern Africa.

Ana Billeaux, At-large Member

Ana Billeaux has a MS in Counseling from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The Office of International Education (OIE) in TAMUCC opened its door in December 2008, when Ana started as the international student advisor. In April 2009 she became OIE’s director and in this capacity she oversees the study abroad programs and the international student programs and services. Prior to working at TAMUCC, Ana worked for non-profit foster and adoption agencies and for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Alisa Johnson, At-large Member

Alisa Johnson is the director of graduate recruiting at The University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, Texas. She has been with UT Arlington since April 1997. Prior to her current appointment, she was director of graduate services in the College of Business at Arlington. Ms. Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in public administration.

Meghan Pace, At-large Member

Meghan Pace is the International Student Services Counselor at Angelo State University and has been with ASU since August of 2000. Meghan completed her graduate studies in Higher Education at Angelo State University in 2008. At ASU, Meghan is responsible for international student recruitment, international student admissions for undergraduate, graduate and English language students, advising students on immigration issues, processing H-1B and permanent residence applications for foreign faculty and staff, coordinating cultural activities and programs, advising the International Student’s Association and the Host Family Program, liaison for exchange partners, and helped implement a U.S. Passport Office on campus.

Dr. Sameer Pande, At-large Member

Dr. Pande is the Executive Director of International Initiatives at the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL). He works with the UHCL community to develop and implement the strategic plan for international initiatives, coordinate the university’s international recruitment efforts, negotiate international proposals and contracts, implement cooperative agreements between international universities, coordinate study abroad programs as well as international research and collaborative opportunities for students, faculty and professional staff. He also serves as an adjunct faculty in the School of Science and Computer Engineering. He received his BS, MS and PhD in Forestry from Kumaon University, and his MS in Management Information Systems from UHCL.

Greg Thompson, Advisor

Greg Thompson is a Senior International Trade Specialist at the North Texas U.S. Export Assistance Center - an office of the U.S. Department of Commerce in Dallas, Texas. He has been with the North Texas office since August 1998. Prior to that appointment, he was Senior Import Compliance Specialist with the Department in Washington, D.C. Mr. Thompson obtained his MBA in International Marketing from American University in Washington, D.C. in 1992. His undergraduate work in finance, accounting, and economics was completed at the University of Kentucky.